Sleeping robe or blanket



May 24, 1932 r M G, EAKER 1,859,820

SLEEPING ROBE OR BLANKET Filed March 27, 1929 "ll l v .][a Eaii'e r, Iuz/bnlah IJOberot,

Patented May 24, 1932 PATENT OFFICE MAE G. EAKER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK SLEEPING ROBE R BLANKET Application filed March 27, 1929. Serial No. 350,235.

My invention relates to improvements in sleeping robes or blankets for infants. 7

The primary object of my invention is to provide a new and improved robe or blanket so constructed as to provide an enclosure or pocket in which to place the infant with every partof it enclosed, excepting the head, and in which the infant will have perfect freedom in the movement of its body, arms, and

lo legs, and regardless of its position will be fully covered except from its neck up.

Another object of, my invention is to provide an enclosing robe or blanket in which the infant may be quickly placed and completely protected against cold and be as readily removed from the robe.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a robe of this kind in which provision is made for fastening the robe or blanket to the bedstead or bed springs, so that the robe will have a fixed position on the bedding, yet permit the child freedom in action within certain limits.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a robe or blanket of the kind mentioned having a flat rear or bottom memher and a full or loose upper or cover member the latter being divided from one end of the robe or blanket to the other and preferably so equipped along the dividing line with quickacting means for opening or closing the robe or blanket; or more particularly, the enclosure or pocket of the robe or blanket.

A still furtherobject of my invention is the provision of a robe or blanket ofthe kind mentioned, having convenient means within the same for attaching an auxiliary or rubber sheet to the inner side of the flat bottom member.

With the above and other objects to appear hereinafter, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete robe or blanket, showing the same resting upon the bedding of a crib and being secured to parts of the crib.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the robe or blanket taken to one side of the longitudinal center of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the robe or blanket.

Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the upper or cover member of the robe or blanket, showing the manner in which it is shirred at its marginal portions preparatory to sewing or otherwise attaching it to the marginal portions of the bottom member of the blanket.

Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of a portion of the blanket, showing the manner of securing an additional cover thereto; a corresponding port-ion of the additional blanket being shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the two main members of the robe or blanket in superposed relation preparatory to stitching them together along the marginal portions and showing the upper or cover member somewhat larger than the bottom member. I

Fig. 7 is a sectional perspective view of a portion of the robe or blanket showing the manner of securing an auxiliary or rubber sheet to the bottom member.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the upper portion of the robe or blanket showing the upper or cover member partly open.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 designates the bottom member of the blanket, and 11 the upper or cover member formed of two exact counterparts 1:2, which are re- Versely disposed on the bottom member, and

before attaching the marginal portions of these two members together have the appearance shown in Fig. 6, wherein the two parts of the upper or cover member overhang the four edges of the bottom member, as at 13. The bottom member is of oblong formation and the upper or cover member has its two parts positioned with its inner marginal portions overlapped, as at 14; and together they form an oblong member corresponding to the shape of but slightly larger in size than the bottom member. Each of the parts 12 of the upper or cover member is, of course, of oblong formation, but comparatively narrow with re; speot to its length. The upper inner corners of each of these parts 12 are cut away, as at 15; these cut-away portions bein exactly alike and being transversely aline to form a neck opening 16 within the upper or cover member of the robe or blanket.

The upper or cover member 11 is sewed along its marginal portions to the marginal portions of the bottom member 10; and to accomplish this, each of the marginal portions of the upper or cover member, excepting the neck opening 16, 1S shirred, as at 17 thus reducing the size of the upper or cover member to that of the bottom member and retaining said bottom member in flat condition. The upper or cover member is, therefore, attached to the flat bottom member in loose or bul ed form so as to give it the required fullness r properly covering an infant placed between the two members of the robe or blanket, and at the same time provide sufiicient space between the two members to allow the infant to move its arms and legs 7 freely within the robe or blanket.

The marginal portions of the robe or blanket thus formed from the two members are covered or bound with a bindin 18, and if desired, this binding may be apphedat the time of shirring the upper or cover member of the robe or blanket to the flat lower member so that a single row of stitching will serve to connect the two members together and at the same time bind the same, as shown in the drawing.

The inner overlapped marginal portions 14 of the two parts of the upper or cover member are folded under to provide a hem 19, and it is also desirable to have the material at the notches 15 turned under to provide similar hems 20 for the neck opening 16.

Within the hems 20, draw strings or ribbons 21 are arranged, one end of each of which is fastened within the region of the binding 18 at the upper end of the robe or blanket. Said strings or ribbons pass loosely through the hems 20 and extend out through the lower ends thereof, which ends are left open for the purpose; the extending portions of the strings or ribbons, when drawn upon, serving to shir or tighten the material around the neck of an infant, and when thus tightened, the draw strings or ribbons are tied into a bow knot, or otherwise suitably fastened.

Fastened to the iImer side of the underfolded portion or hem 19 of each of the parts f of the upper member is a securing tape 22; these tapes being secured to the parts 12 of the upper or cover member at the time of forming the hems 19 on said parts. The securing tapes are arranged lengthwise from the neck opening 16 to a point at or near the lower end of the robe or blanket, and each tape has spaced metallic retainer clips 23 clamped or otherwise fastened to its free marginal portion, along which a runner 24 is adapted to be moved for bringing the retainer clips of the fastening tapes together in interlocked relation, thus forming quick actin fastening means which, upon moving sai runner upwardly to the neck opening, will close the front of the robe or blanket along its full length. By moving said runner downwardly from the neck opening toward the lower end of the robe or blanket, the retainer clips of the two securing tapes will become disconnected and the front of the robe or blanket will be opened, the extent of opening depending on the range of movement downwardly of said runner.

Regardless of the position of the runner along the marginal portions of the two parts of the upper or cover member, said parts will be connected from the runner downwardly to the lower end of the robe or blanket. This quick acting fastening means is of the type employed for various purposes, and under one well known application of its use, viz. as applied to overshoes, is referred to as a slide fastener.

The fastener tapes with their metallic retainer clips 23 provide a flexible connection between the inner marginal portions of the two counterparts 12 forming the upper or cover member of the robe or blanket, and in order that these metallic retainer clips do not come in contact with the infant and are fully covered on their undersides, a protecting strip 25 fastened to one of said securing tapes 22 underlies both securing tapes. d This protecting strip may be secured to one of the parts of the upper or cover memberv at the'time of forming the hem 19 thereon and fastening one of the securing tapes to said hem or, this protecting strip may be fastened to said securing tape previously to fastening said tape to the under-folded of the part to which it is secured.

When the securing tapes are drawn together and connected by means of the retainer clips 23, the inner edges of the two parts 12 of the upper or cover member abut edge to edge, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. When the robe or blanket is placed upon a bed or other suitable rest, the bottom member 10 lies flat while the upper or cover member lies unevenly or in fullness on the bottom member. The cover member may be said to be separable and the two parts of the same may be separated to any desired degree to orm an opening through which an infant may be laid on the lower member.

The device may also be considered an enclosure blanket which, when the cover member is opened, permits the infant to be placed therein, and upon drawing the adjacent edges of the two parts of the cover member together andshirringthemarginalportions of said two parts at the neck opening around the neck of the infant, will enclose the infant from the neck down, leaving the head projecting through the neck opening.

The shirring of the cover member around portion the marginal portion provides the proper fullness for the same so that an infant covered thereby will lie on the perfectl flat bottom member and be fully covere yet have room for movement of its body and its limbs between the two members of the robe or blanket; or may turn from its back to its side, or reversely.

At intervals along the opposite side portions of the binding 18, metallic or other suitable eyelets 26 are passed through said bindings, two of each series of eyelets being closely spaced together, preferably near the upper end of the robe or blanket; the eyelets so closely spaced being adapted to have a safe ty pin passed therethrough. Closely spacing the two uppermost of each series of eyelets enables additional covering to be placed over the robe or blanket and be fastened in place by means of safety pins passed through said eyelets after passing them through the additional covering as shown in'Fig, 5, wherein the additional cover is shown in dotted lines. One of each pair of closely spaced eyelets and the remaining eyelets at the same side of the robe or blanket are adapted to have suitable cords or tapes 27 passed therethrough,

which may be tied to the side bars of a crib,

as at 28, or to any portion of a bed. By thus fastening the robe or blanket, the lower member of the same will be maintained in smooth condition, and the infant will be tied in place on the bed. By fastening the lower half of the robe or blanket; for instance, by means of the cords or tapes passed through the e elets at the lower half of the robe or blan ct only, the infant may assume a sitting posture and still be prevented from crawling about on the bed.

Provision is made for fastening a protecting sheet 29, such as a rubber blanket or the like, to the flat bottom member 10 of the robe or blanket; it being desirable to provide for this owing to the robe or blanket being made of flannel or other material which is easily soiled. For this purpose, loops 30 are fastened into the binding region of the robe or blanket at the top, sides and bottom and extend into the space between the bottom and the cover members of the blanket. The rubber sheet 29 may be laced evenly on the bottom member of the lanket and be fastened to the loops by means of safety pins 31, as best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7.

The separation between the two parts of the cover member may be termed a slit, and while I have shown a quick acting fastening to connect the inner marginal portions or adjacent edges of these two parts together, or to close said slit, as it may be stated, hooks and eyes, or buttons and button-holes, may be provided for this purpose; but a quick-acting type of fastener, such as shown, makes it convenient to quickly place the infant within the robe or blanket and cover it up before giving it any opportunity to change its position from that intended for it; and upon pulling on the draw strings or ribbons 21, the cover parts at the neck opening will be closed around the neck of the infant, compelling it to retain a reclining or flat condition, although having freedom of movement otherwise.

While this invention is particularly designed for use as an infants robe or blanket, it may be constructed in larger sizes for outdoor use, or camp purposes; in which cases, either or both the upper and lower members of the robe or blanket may be constructed of water-proof material, especially if used for outdoor purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An enclosing robe or blanket, comprising a flat bottom member, a cover member formed of two exact counterparts having their inner marginal portions adapted for connection and having the remaining marginal portions of said parts shirred and stitched to the marginal portions of said flat bottom member, said cover member having cutaway portions at the upper ends of its two counterparts forming a neck opening and having the material at said neck opening hemmed and provided with a draw string, and means for connecting the inner marginal portions of the two counterparts of said cover member together.

2. An enclosing robe or blanket, comprising a flat bottom member, a cover member secured along its marginal portions to the marginal portions of said flat bottom mem her, a binder enclosing the marginal portions of both members, loops fastened between the marginal portions of said bottom and cover member and also fastened by said binder and extending into the space between both, a rubber sheet applied to the flat bottom member, and fastener means passed through said loops and through said rubber sheet for holding the latter in'nnovably on said flat bottom member.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

MAE G. EAKER. 

